A history of Soviet-Western relations from the Russian Revolution of 1917 to the end of World War II. The author examines in detail such things as the allied intervention in Russia in World War I, the Versailles Treaty, Lenin's versus Stalin's methods of advancing communism, the rise of Hitler, the German-Russian pact of 1939, and the Yalta Conference.

Conflict of the two worlds --- The provisional government --- Brest-Litovsk --- Unofficial allied agents --- The north Russian intervention --- Collapse in the north --- The Siberian intervention --- The allies in Siberia --- Russia and the peace conference (I) --- Russia and the peace conference (II) --- Germany and the founding of the Comintern --- 1920-the year of transition --- The approach to normal relations --- Western reaction to the Soviet bid --- Rapallo --- Britain, the Soviet target --- Stalin as a statesman --- Stalin and China --- The rise of Hitler --- The struggle against Hitler, and the Purges --- The nonaggression pact --- Before Germany struck --- Russia and the west as allies --- Russia and the war in Asia --- Keeping a world intact.